


Sick Day

by ThatEsqCrush



Series: Christmas One True Pairing Challenge [6]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Comfort Food, Comfort No Hurt, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Sick Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:26:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25081594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatEsqCrush/pseuds/ThatEsqCrush
Summary: Prompt #18 (Holiday Movie) from the @thefanficfaerie Christmas OTP challenge.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Reader, Rafael Barba/You
Series: Christmas One True Pairing Challenge [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1816486
Kudos: 17





	Sick Day

You threw the covers over your head and tried to sleep. You had a fitful night of sleep - every time you started to drift off, you’d be awoken by coughing. Your nightstand looked like a wannabe apothecary, littered with both prescription and homeopathic treatments.

After another hour of tossing and turning, you gave up and turned on the television. You scanned through a few channels before settling on Lifetime which was having a “Mistletoe Monday” holiday movie binge. You glanced at the clock and realized you were due for some NyQuil. You grimaced as you swallowed the purple liquid and chased it with water. The sedating cold medication made its way quickly through your system and not even thirty minutes into “Elf”, you were out like a light.

***

You woke up with a start, the sound of banging on your door in the distance. You looked at the clock - it was way later in the day than you expected. You then checked your phone - you had an obscene amount of missed calls and texts from various people, the most coming from your boyfriend, Rafael.

Quickly you emailed your office apologizing and advising you wouldn’t be in. You were about to answer Rafael’s messages but the pounding continued and was giving you a headache.

You sluggishly made your way out of the bed. “Coming,” you called out weakly while grabbing your robe. Your entire body ached and despite the heat being on in your apartment, you were shivering. The pounding continued and you called out again, before starting yet another coughing fit.

Looking through the peephole, you found Rafael standing there. Quickly, you opened the door. “Raf—“

“Y/N! Jesus fucking Christ, you’re okay! I was about to have Liv start a missing persons—“

“I’m sorry—“

“You’re sorry?! You haven’t answered your phone at all! I’ve been so worried!” Rafael nearly shouted, pushing past you and making his way into the apartment. He was about to continue his rant, when he took in the sight of your apartment which usually meticulous, looked as if a tornado had blown threw it. “What’s going on?”

“I’m sick. I probably have the plague, so if I were you, I would leave,” you warned, hoarsely. You were congested, so your threat didn’t sound menacing at all. A shiver coursed through you and you tightened your robe.

Rafael took a look at your disheveled appearance and instantly softened. He took off his coat and suit jacket, hanging it along with his briefcase on your wall mounted coatrack.

“Cariño, why didn’t you call me?” Rafael asked. He ignored your earlier warning, and pulled you close to him. He could feel that you were burning up.

“I took some NyQuil because I couldn’t sleep and promptly passed the fuck out,” you mumbled. You couldn’t smell anything but you had Rafael’s cologne committed to memory. He was warm and both solid and soft at once - you were an instant puddle in his embrace.

“Let’s get you back to bed,” Rafael replied. You nodded, and Rafael led you back to bed.

You climbed back into your fluffy bed and let Rafael tuck you in. He slipped off his suspenders, rolled up his sleeves, and loosened his tie. Rafael pressed a kiss to your forehead. “I’ll be right back.”

You nodded, and reached for the remote, turning the TV back on which had gone into sleep mode. You could head Rafael on the phone, but could barely make out what he was saying.

Reaching for a tissue, you blew your nose. You winced, your nose was irritated from the constant blowing and you could only imagine your nose was just as red as Rudolph’s in the claymation special that was on.

You tried hard to keep your eyes open, but found it hard to. You succumbed to sleep, hoping Rafael wouldn’t mind.

***

Rafael finished his call with Carmen, explaining that he had a personal emergency and that he wasn’t coming in. His paralegal seemed panicked and he reassured her that there were plenty of other ADAs in the building that could assist.

He poked his head back in, calling your name once more but found you sound asleep in your bed. He nodded to himself before busying himself. Opening up his Postmark app, he quickly had groceries and other essentials ordered to your apartment.

***

You woke up a few hours later. Bleary eyed, you took in the scene before you: your apartment had been straightened up, and Rafael was stirring a large soup pot.

“Raf? You’re not at work?”

Rafael turned around. “Cariño you should be in bed. I was going to wake you. I made soup and tea for you.”

“You made me soup?!” you questioned cautiously. Surreptitiously, you pinched yourself.

“Mi abuelita’s receta - sopa de pollo con fideos - chicken noodle soup. One of the few things I know how to make,” Rafael confessed as he continued to stir the pot.

“You’re not at work,” you repeated, slowly, dumbfounded. “I figured you would have left. I am Typhoid Mary after all. I know you are a man in demand.”

Rafael put the large wooden spoon down and walked over to you. “I am,” he winked. “You’re not well. You are my priority right now. I want to take care of you.“ He pressed a kiss to your forehead once more. “Are you hungry?”

You nodded. “Starving. Feed a cold, starve a fever, right?”

“How is your fever?” Rafael pressed the back of his hand to your forehead. Your skin was clammy and cool. He nodded once more to himself. “Good-seems to have broken.”

***

Your belly was full of comforting soup. You were now nestled against Rafael, watching “You’ve Got Mail”, your favorite holiday-adjacent movie while sipping some of the anise tea he made. You tried to stifle a cough but failed. You sat forward and Rafael rubbed your back until the fit subsided. When you leaned back against him, he reached for the VaporRub. He scooped some of the potent salve with his fingers, and tugged your shirt up. You didn’t protest, and allowed for Rafael to rub it on your chest. His hand and fingers just skirted the swell of your breasts and he willed himself to behave.

“Mmmm, that’s nice,” you hummed. “My favorite movie and my favorite human; I’m feeling better already.”

FIN


End file.
